Container closure system

ABSTRACT

The container closure system comprises a plug with an O-ring for cooperation with a frustoconical opening of the container; the plug is pivotally mounted on an axis at right angle to that of the opening on the body and a locking member is pivotally mounted on the plug about an axis located along a diameter of the plug. The locking member is adapted to engage a resilient bracket carried by the container.

0 i 1 United States Patent [11-] 3,567,66

[72] Inventor Bernard Mansard [50] Field of Search 220/55,

Saint-Cyr-Lecole, France 55.1, 55.5, 55.7 (I), 55 (G), 55 (T), 57 (Bar Fast);

[21] Appl. No. 693,583 292/202, 241, 257 [22] Filed Dec. 26 1967 4s Patented Mar. 231971 References Cited [73] Assignee Commissariat A LEnergie Atomique UNITED STATES PATENTS Paris, France 2,757,820 8/1956 Wall 220/55-X [32] ri ity Jan- 4, 19 3,168,960 2/1965 Dean et a1 220/57-X 55%;: Primary Examiner-Raphael H. Schwartz [54] CONTAINER CLOSURE SYSTEM 7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

Attorney-Craig, Antonelli, Stewart & Hull ABSTRACT: The container closure system comprises a plug with an O-ring for cooperation with a frustoconical opening of the container; the plug is pivotally mounted on an axis at right angle to that of the opening on the body and a locking member is pivotally mounted on the plug about an axis located along a diameter of the plug. The locking member is adapted to engage a resilient bracket carried by the container.

PATENTED m 2mm FIG. 4

FIG. 5

INVENTOR mm mrlmo BY Cwgv W ATTORNEYS CONTAINER CLOSURE SYSTEM The invention is directed to a container with leaktight closure which is primarily designed for use in the transportation and storage of radioactive samples.

In the practical design of a leaktight vessel which is intended to contain radioactive samples, a number of different conditions must be compiled with. One of the most important of these conditions is that the opening and closing movements of the closure device must be easily performed in order that this latter may be operated by means of remote-control devices (grab, remote manipulator or master-slave manipulator) while guaranteeing that no accidental opening is liable to occur.

The primary objective of this invention is to provide a container with leaktight closure which meets the conditions mentioned above, in which opening and closing movements are easily performed and which is fitted with a device for locking the container in the closed position.

To this end, the invention proposesa container with leaktight closure comprising: a cylindrical body in which is formed a chamber having an opening to the exterior which is defined by a frustoconical bearing surface, a plug fitted with a seal which is intended to be applied against said bearing surface,

said plug being pivotally mounted on a hinge-pin having an axis at right angles to that of said chamber and carried by said body, a locking member which is rotatably mounted on the plug about an axis parallel to that of the hinge-pin and placed substantially along a diameter of said plug, and a flexible fastening bracket carried by the body and located diametrically opposite to the hinge, said bracket being intended to cooperate with the locking member.

The invention also consists in other arrangements which can advantageously be employed in combination with the preceding but can be employed separately. The invention will be more readily understood from a perusal of the following description of one form of execution of the invention which is given solely by way of example and not in any limiting sense. Reference is made in the description to the accompanying drawings, in which: i

FIG. 1 is a view of a container with leaktight closure in accordance with the invention as shown in cross section along the line H of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a view in elevation of the container looking on the right hand side of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 show two successive stages of opening of the container as shown in elevation;

FIG. 5 is a very diagrammatic view of the top portion of a container fitted with a locking device which constitutes an alternative form of the device shown in FIG. 1.

The container which is shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 comprises a cylindrical body 6 in which is formed a cylindrical chamber 8 terminating at the top of said body in an opening which is defined by a frustoconical bearing surface 10.

The top face of the body 6 is provided with a fork 12 which projects in a direction parallel to the axis of the vessel and in which is mounted a hinge-pin 14 on which is pivotally mounted a plug 16. In the embodiment under consideration, said plug is made up of an obturator, which is intended to be applied against the bearing surface and which is provided with two shoulders 20 and 22, and a small central plate 18 placed between the two shoulders and pivotally mounted on the hinge-pin 14. The said small plate is fixed to the shoulders by any suitable means such as studs 24 and 26 (as shown in FIG. 1). There is formed in the obturator a channel for accommodating an O-ring seal 28 which is intended to be applied against the bearing surface 10.

Compression of the seal and clamping of the plug are carried out by means of a mechanism comprising a locking member 30 and a bracket 32. The member 30 is constituted by a latch which is rotatably mounted on a pin 34 carried by the shoulders 20 and 22 and parallel to the hinge-pin, said latch-pin being placed along a diameter of the plug in such a manner as to intersect the axis of the container when the plug is closed (as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2). In the form of construe tion which is shown in the drawings, the bracket 32 is formed of piano wire and has the shape of an inverted U, the arms of which are attached to the top face of the body and the base of which is provided opposite to the locking member with a portion which is parallel to the latch-pin 34.

The locking member is provided with a recess 35; when the plug takes up the closed position shown in FIG. 1, the bottom of the recess is applied against the bracket 32 and tends to cause the arms of this latter to bend outwards. The bracket thus exerts on the locking member 30' a force which tends to produce the movement of rotation of this latter about its pin 34, thereby forcing the plug 16 downwards and pressing the O-ring seal 28 against the bearing surface 11). The shape of the locking member 30 and the size of the small plate 18 are evidently such (as shown in FIG. 1) that the locking member does not come into abutting contact with the small plate before the O-ring seal 18 is applied against the bearing surface 10.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, there is fixed on the locking member 30 an extension rod 36 which is joined to the member 31 by screwing and so oriented as to be located substantially along the axis of the body 6 when the plug 16 is closed. Said extension rod is fitted at the top with a plate 33 having an overall dimension transversely to the axis which is of the same order as that of the body 6.

The incorporation of the rod 36 and plate 38 on the one hand facilitates handling operations and on the other hand provides additional safety when the container is transported in a flask which provides protection against gamma radiation, especially of the type described in French patent No. 1,190,311 as filed on Jan. 21, 1958 by the present Applicant. In this case, the container is placed for transportation purposes within a cup placed at the bottom of a well formed in the body of the flask. Said cup 40 and the wall 42 of the well are shown diagrammatically in chain-dotted lines in FIG. 1 as well as the traction cable 44 which is intended to lift the cup 40 towards the opening of the well. In this manner, any danger of accidental opening of the plug is obviated until the plug has been removed from the flask and the cup 40 has been lifted.

When the container is designed to be used within a particular flask, the length of the extension rod 36 is advantageously provided so that the underface of the plug 46 which closes off the well (also shown in chain-dotted lines in FIG. 1) should come against the plate 38 and lock the container in position at the bottom of the well.

The operation of the locking device at the time of opening and closing will have become apparent from the foregoing and will therefore be outlined only briefly.

When it is desired to open the container and the com ponents are in the closed position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a first step consists in moving the extension rod 36 so that it swings over towards the bracket (as shown by the arrow f in FIG. 1). The locking member 30 is applied against the bracket 32, pivots about this latter and unseats the plug 16 which thus begins to open and comes into the position illustrated in FIG.

In a second step, the extension rod 36 is pulled back and caused to swing in the direction opposite to the preceding about the hinge-pin 14 (as shown by the arrow f; in FIG. 3); the rod is accompanied in this movement by the plug 16 which completely frees the opening of the chamber.

Closure of the container is carried out in a sequence of operations which is reverse to the preceding. Thus, in a first step, the locking member 30 is engaged in the bracket 32 with the aid of the extension rod 36 (FIG. 3). In a second step, the extension rod is caused to swing towards the axis of the vessel: the locking member 30 pivots about the bracket 32 and the plug 16 tilts back in the opposite direction about the hinge-pin 14.

The force exerted by the bracket 32 on the locking member tends first to thrust back the plug until the moment when the pin 34 of the locking member reaches the plane which passes through the base of the bracket and the hinge-pin, then tends to apply the plug 16 against the bearing surface 10. As said locking member passes through the position referred to above, the bracket applies maximum force and the complete assembly of plug and locking member which constitutes a toggle mechanism is thus in unstable equilibrium. Once the plug is applied, the bracket applies a force which securely maintains the plug 16 against the bearing surface 10.

The extension rod 36 is obviously not essential and the locking member can be designed in a number of different forms. Thus, FIG. 5 shows diagrammatically an alternative form in which the members corresponding to those which have already been illustrated are followed by the prime index. In this case, the locking member 30' is reduced to an elbowed lever carrying a small plate 48 which affords a better hold and facilitates the operation of the device.

The foregoing description shows the advantages of the container in accordance with the invention. In particular, it may be noted that manipulation, opening and closing of the container are extremely simple operations which can readily be performed by means of a manipulator. The extension rod and the terminal plate on said rod can be employed for the purpose of gripping the vessel. No special operating device is required since no screwing or unscrewing is necessary. The presence of the extension rod which can be of variable length ensures enhanced safety during transportation in a shielded flask. Finally, the terminal plate of the extension rod can be fabricated from magnetic or ferromagnetic material in order that it may be more readily be held and taken from the bottom of the storage well, for example.

It is readily apparent that many different embodiments of the invention can be contemplated and it must be understood that this patent extends to all or part of the arrangements hereinabove described which remain within the definition of equivalent means.

lclaim:

l. A container with a leaktight closure, comprising a body, a cylindrical chamber in said body having an opening coaxial with said chamber and bounded by a bearing surface, a sealing plug for application against said bearing surface, a hinge pin carried by said body and supporting said plug for pivotal movement about an axis at right angle to that of said chamber between a closed position and a position in which it completely clears said opening, a locking member rotatably mounted on the plug about an axis parallel to that of the hinge pin and substantially along a diameter of said plug, and a resilient bracket having a free end secured to the body against rotation relative thereto, at a location diametrically opposite to the hinge pin, said locking member having means cooperating with said bracket to exert on the locking member a force transverse to said axis of said chamber which forces the plug into said closed position when said plug is located in or near said position.

2. A container in accordance with claim 1, wherein said bearing surface is frustoconical.

3. The container of claim 1, for storage and shipping of radioactive samples in combination with a gamma shielding flask formed with a well of a diameter receiving said container, a holding plate secured to said plug in a position such that it is transverse to the axis of said chamber when said plug is in its closed position, said flask having a closure member for closing said well, said closure member being in close proximity to said holding plate when said flask is closed to constitute means preventing undesirable opening of said plug as long as said container is in said flask.

4. A container in accordance with claim 1, having an extension rod secured to the locking member in an orientation such that it is placed substantially along the axis of the body when the plug is closed.

5. A container in accordance with claim 4, characterized in that the extension rod is provided with a holding plate at the top end thereof. I

6. A container in accordance with claim 5, characterized in that said holding plate has an overall width transversely to the axis of the same order as the overall width of the body in order to prevent any movement of rotation of the rod and opening of the container when said container is placed within a well which has a slightly larger diameter than the overall radial dimensions of the body.

7. A container, comprising: a body forming a chamber having an opening; a plug pivotally mounted on said body for rotation about a first axis between a closed position and an open position; a locking member pivotally mounted to said plug about a second axis parallel to and spaced from said first axis; a resilient link having a free end secured at said body against rotation relative thereto, said free end being secured at a location on the opposite side of the opening from said first axis; said locking member releasably pivotally engaging said link about a third axis parallel to and spaced from said first and second axes; said link, member and plug forming a toggle means moved over center during closing to position said second axis on the body side of a plane passing through said first and third axes. 

1. A container with a leaktight closure, comprising a body, a cylindrical chamber in said body having an opening coaxial with said chamber and bounded by a bearing surface, a sealing plug for application against said bearing surface, a hinge pin carried by said body and supporting said plug for pivotal movement about an axis at right angle to that of said chamber between a closed position and a position in which it completely clears said opening, a locking member rotatably mounted on the plug about an axis parallel to that of the hinge pin and substantially along a diameter of said plug, and a resilient bracket having a free end secured to the body against rotation relative thereto, at a location diametrically opposite to the hinge pin, sAid locking member having means cooperating with said bracket to exert on the locking member a force transverse to said axis of said chamber which forces the plug into said closed position when said plug is located in or near said position.
 2. A container in accordance with claim 1, wherein said bearing surface is frustoconical.
 3. The container of claim 1, for storage and shipping of radioactive samples in combination with a gamma shielding flask formed with a well of a diameter receiving said container, a holding plate secured to said plug in a position such that it is transverse to the axis of said chamber when said plug is in its closed position, said flask having a closure member for closing said well, said closure member being in close proximity to said holding plate when said flask is closed to constitute means preventing undesirable opening of said plug as long as said container is in said flask.
 4. A container in accordance with claim 1, having an extension rod secured to the locking member in an orientation such that it is placed substantially along the axis of the body when the plug is closed.
 5. A container in accordance with claim 4, characterized in that the extension rod is provided with a holding plate at the top end thereof.
 6. A container in accordance with claim 5, characterized in that said holding plate has an overall width transversely to the axis of the same order as the overall width of the body in order to prevent any movement of rotation of the rod and opening of the container when said container is placed within a well which has a slightly larger diameter than the overall radial dimensions of the body.
 7. A container, comprising: a body forming a chamber having an opening; a plug pivotally mounted on said body for rotation about a first axis between a closed position and an open position; a locking member pivotally mounted to said plug about a second axis parallel to and spaced from said first axis; a resilient link having a free end secured at said body against rotation relative thereto, said free end being secured at a location on the opposite side of the opening from said first axis; said locking member releasably pivotally engaging said link about a third axis parallel to and spaced from said first and second axes; said link, member and plug forming a toggle means moved over center during closing to position said second axis on the body side of a plane passing through said first and third axes. 